Starting system



Feb. 21, 1939.

STARTING SYSTEM A. K. ANTONSEN Filed June 3, 1957 GZAK/QMZV HTYOF/VEY Patented Feb. 21, 1939 2,148,227

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE STARTING SYSTEM Anker K. Antonsen, Skaneateles, N. Y., assignor to Fairbanks, Morse & 00., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application June 3, 1937, Serial No. 146,149

6 Claims. (01. 290-30) This invention relates to improvements in plied from a main generator iii of three-phase, starting systems for internal combustion engines, alternating current type which is driven by an and more particularly to an improved method engine 19 or by any other suitable prime mover. and means for initiating and controlling the It is to be understood, of course, that the control starting of an engine responsively to a demand arrangement embodying the features of this in- 5 for its operation. vention may be utilized in conjunction with a The control system embodying the improved single or multi-phase alternating current system, features of the present invention is adapted paror with a direct current system, the three-phase ticularly, for use in connection with internal system illustrated being an example only.

10 combustion engines of the Diesel type which uti- Engine H1 is, by preference, of the air-start l0 lize fluid under pressure, such as compressed air, type, air under pressure for starting purposes for starting purposes. Among the objects of the being supplied to the engine through a conduit invention may be noted the adaptation of the 253 connected to the engine and to a suitable improved control mechanism to a system in source of air under pressure, such as a compressed which the fluid-start engine serves as a prime air tank or reservoir 22. A valve 23 is suitably l5 mover for an auxiliary or emergency stand-by disposed in the conduit so as to control the generator, provided for supplying power to an flow of compressed air to the engine, for delivery electric circuit which is otherwise normally supto one or more of the engine cylinders (not plied from one or more main generating units. shown), the valve being of any suitable form,

20 In the system, the arrangement of the control but preferably of gravityor spring-opened type 20 mechanism is such as to initiate starting of the which is readily available and well known in the auxiliary engine and generator unit responsively art. The valve is normally held closed by an to failure of the main power source to supply electromagnet 24 functionally associated with the power to the electric circuit served thereby. stem 26 of the valve, the valve being closed when Thus a substantially uninterrupted supply of the electromagnet is energized. The energizing 25 electric power to the circuit may be maintained. circuit for the electromagnet includes a lead 21 Furthermore, the starting control mechanism is connected to the distribution conductor [6 and adapted through a novel arrangement of control to one end of the electromagnet, and a lead 28 apparatus, to conserve the supply of starting air from the opposite end of the magnet to the con- 30 for the auxiliary engine, by stopping the delivery ductor l4 through paired contacts 30 and 3|. 30 of compressed air thereto, when the engine has The opening and closing of the circuit through attained a predetermined. speed. contacts 33 is controlled by an armature 32 of a Another object is attained in the provision of relay 34, while contacts 3| are controlled in like a control system for the purpose noted, which manner by armature 35 of a second relay 3G.

35 includes mechanism of electrically operated type, The relay coils are connected in series through 35 for initiating a delivery of starting air to the a conductor 38 and are in circuit with the conengine, and an engine speed responsive mechaductors I 4, l5 and H3 through leads 39, 40 and nism for stopping such delivery of starting air, 42-21, in the manner shown. Thus it Will be upon the engine attaining a predetermined speed. observed from the circuit arrangement of the 40 Further objects and advantages will appear relays, that relay 34 is responsive to the phase- 40 from the following description, and from the voltage between line conductors l5 and I6, relay drawing, the single figure of which is a diagram- 36 to the phase-voltage between conductors l4 matic illustration of the improved control system and i5, and both relays to the phase-voltage beembodying the features of the invention. tween conductors l4 and I6,

5 Re e w 110 the drawing by suitable char- A second valve 43 is suitably disposed in the 45 acters of reference, there is illustrated diagramconduit 20, this valve being by preferance, simimatically, a preferred form of control system as lar to valve 23, but controlled by mechanism applied to an internal combustion engine l0 operatively associated with the engine ill, the preferably of Diesel type. The engine is opercontrol arrangement being such that the valve atively coupled, as at H, to an auxiliary generis normally in open position when the engine I0 50 ator 12 of a three-phase, alternating current type, is not in operation, and is closed responsively to serving as an emergency standby source of electhe engine attaining a predetermined speed. The trical energy for a three-phase distribution circontrol mechanism for this valve is diagramcuit including line conductors or bus bars l4, l5 matically illustrated in the drawing as a centrifu- 56 and I6. The distribution circuit is normally supgal device, denoted at 44, which is operated by engine l6 through a shaft 46 operated thereby and gears M, the centrifugal device operating in turn, upon the stem 58 of valve 43. Although the centrifugal device 4d and the engine operated shaft 46 and gears ll operatively connecting the device to the engine are shown in a diagrammatic manner by way of example, it is to be understood that any suitable type of centrifugal or other speed responsive device and any desired form of operative association thereof with engine l0 and valve 43, may be utilized.

The operation of the system will be now particularly pointed out. So long as the distribution conductors Id, l5 and I6 are supplied from the main generator IS, the emergency generator l2 and its driving engine IE] will be normally idle. In this case, the relays 34 and 36 will be energized from main generator it through their connection with the distribution conductors I4, l5 and Hi, this resulting in actuation of the armatures 32 and 35 to close the contacts 30 and 3!, hence closing the circuitlead-28 of electromagnet 24. Thus the electromagnet 24 is energized to efiect a positive closure of valve 23 through operation of valve stem 26. As a result, compressed air from the reservoir 22 will be prevented by the closed valve 23, from flowing to the engine If] for starting the emergency unit. In this instance, valve 43 will be open since, as before noted, this is the normal condition of the valve when the engine I0 is not in operation.

Should main generator l8 fail for any reason, to supply power to the distribution system, or should power in any one or more of the phases of the system fail for any cause, then one or both of the relays 34 and 36 will become deenergized. Since energization of both relays is relied upon to maintain, through closure of the paired contacts 30 and 3| by the armatures 32 and 35 respectively, a closed circuit in lead 28 for energizing the valve magnet 24, it will be readily observed that a de-energization of one or both of these relays will efiect an open circuit of the magnet 24 through one or both pairs of contacts 30 and SI, thus effecting a de-energization of the valve magnet. With the de-energization of magnet 24, the valve 23 opens under the influence of gravity or of a spring (not shown), to permit a flow of compressed air through conduit 20 to the engine it (valve 43 being in open position at this time, as heretofore noted). Thus the compressed air may be utilized to start engine Ill, and when the engine attains a predetermined speed, the centrifugal device 44 operated thereby, will effect a closure of valve 43 to cut-off further delivery of air to the engine. Thereafter, under normal conditions, the engine will continue to operate under its own power, attaining its normal running speed to operate emergency generator 52 for supplying power to the three-phase system, until such time as the system may be again supplied from the main unit l 8-! 9. It will be observed that valve 43 remains closed throughout the operation of engine l0, and that valve 23 will close upon the energizing of relays 34 and 36 from emergency generator l2. When the system is again supplied from main generator IS, the energization of the relays continues, as supplied by generator I8, so as to hold the valve 23 closed. Thereafter, engine Ill may be shut down, thus stopping centrifugal device 46 and thereby opening valve 43.

Closure of valve 43 by device 44, is attained at a predetermined engine speed which is substantially less than normal, full running speed of engine I0, this being done in order to conserve the supply of compressed air in reservoir 22 for subsequent starting of the engine. The speed at which device 44 is regulated to effect a closure of valve 43 is, by preference, determined as near the minimum firing speed of the engine as is practicable, say between A and full speed. Thus, the consumption of air may be limited to substantially the minimum volume required for starting purposes. In this manner, waste of starting air may be considerably reduced, so that a greater number of starting operations of the engine it may be attained with a given volume of air in reservoir 22 than could be obtained heretofore. This is of particular advantage where the size and capacity of reservoir 22 is limited by space requirements, as in ships and the like.

The complete control system for the emergency engine-generator unit, as illustrated, is simple and efficient in operation, and fully attains the foregoing objects and others readily apparent but not enumerated. It is to be noted in this connection, that although only a single preferred embodiment of the invention is shown, the arrangement of the control system and the elements thereof, may be altered or modified within the spirit and full intended scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:-

1. In combination with an electric power distribution circuit, an electric generator, an internal combustion engine for driving said generator, a supply of fluid under pressure, connected to the engine for starting purposes, means controlling the delivery of said fluid to the engine, including a valve in the line of fluid flow to the engine,- and a valve actuator of magnetic type, operatively associated with said valve, said magnetic valve actuator being electrically connected to said distribution circuit so as to be operable responsively to predetermined electrical conditions of said circuit, and means functioningindependently of said valve, operable responsively to a predetermined minimum speed of said engine, to prevent delivery of fluid to the engine.

2. In combination with an electric power distribution circuit, anelectric generator, an internal combustion engine for driving said generator, a supply of fluid under pressure, a conduit for conducting fluid from said supply to the engine for starting purposes, a control valve in said conduit, an electromagnetic valve actuator ener gized directly from said distribution circuit,v said actuator being operatively associated with said valve and adapted when energized to maintain said valve closed, means responsive to predetermined electrical conditions of said distribution circuit, for controlling the energization of said electromagnetic valve actuator, and means associated with said conduit and operable independently of said control valve and valve actuator, for controlling the flow of fluid theretln'ough, said last means being functionally associated with said engine so as to be operable responsively to predetermined speed conditions thereof.

3. In combination with an electric power distribution circuit, an electric generator, an internal combustion engine for driving said generator, a supply of air under pressure, a conduit for conducting air from said supply to the engine for starting purposes, a pair of valves in said conduit, adapted for controlling flow of air therethrough, one of said valves being normally open and the other normally closed, a valve-actuator of magnetic type in circuit with said distribution circuit, and operatively associated with said normal- 1y closed valve, said actuator adapted when energized to maintain said valve closed, means operatively responsive to predetermined electrical conditions of said distribution circuit, arranged for controlling the energization of said magnetic actuator, and means of centrifugal type associated with said normally open valve, operatively responsive to predetermined speed conditions of said engine, for controlling said valve.

4. A starting system for an internal combustion engine of air start type, in combination with an electric distribution circuit of multi-phase type and a multi-phase electric generator therefor, operated by said engine, a source of air under pressure, a conduit for conducting compressed air from said source to the engine for starting purposes, a control valve in said conduit, a valveoperating means therefor, of electromagnetic type, said electromagnetic valve-operating means being energizable directly from said distribution circuit, a control circuit for said electromagnetic means, adapted for controlling the energization thereof in response to predetermined electrical conditions of one or more phases of said multiphase distribution circuit, a second control valve in said conduit, said second valve being normally open, and engine speed responsive valve operating means for said second valve, operable in response to a predetermined minimum speed condition of said engine, to effect a closure of said second valve.

5. In combination with an electric distribution circuit normally supplied with electrical energy from a main generator, an auxiliary generator for said circuit, an internal combustion engine for driving said auxiliary generator, a source of air under pressure, a conduit for conducting air from said source to the engine for starting purposes, a

valve in said conduit, a valve-actuator therefor, of electromagnetic type, adapted when energized to maintain said valve in closed position, an energizing circuit for said actuator directly connected to said distribution circuit, and a plurality of electromagnetic contactors controlling said energizing circuit, said contactors being operatively responsive to electrical conditions in different portions of said distribution circuit and adapted upon electrical failure in any one or more of said portions of the distribution circuit, to effect deenergization of said actuator.

6. In combination with an electric distribution circuit normally supplied with electrical energy from a main generator, an auxiliary generator for said circuit, an internal combustion engine for driving said auxiliary generator, a source of air under pressure, a conduit for conducting air from said source to the engine for starting purposes, a valve in said conduit, a valve-actuator therefor, of electromagnetic type, adapted when energized to maintain said valve in closed position, an energizing circuit for said actuator, connected to said distribution circuit, a plurality of electromagnetic contactors controlling said energizing circuit, operation of said contactors being directly responsive to electrical conditions in different portions of said distribution circuit, each of said contactors being adapted to effect deenergization of said valve-actuator upon electrical failure in that portion of the distribution circuit to which the contactor is responsive, a second valve in said conduit, said valve normally being open, and a speed responsive device operated by said engine, adapted for effecting closure of said second valve in response to a predetermined minimum engine speed.

ANKER K. ANTONSEN. 

